--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Laughter is a sense of proportion and a…" description: "\"Laughter is a sense of proportion and a power of seeing yourself from the outside.\" — Zero Mostel" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f81/zero-mostel-54947_happiness_laughter-is-a-sense-of-proportion-and-a_2036583.jpg" --- # Laughter is a sense of proportion and a power of seeing… ![“Laughter is a sense of proportion and a power of seeing yourself from the outside.” quote by Zero Mostel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f81/zero-mostel-54947_happiness_laughter-is-a-sense-of-proportion-and-a_2036583.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f81/zero-mostel-54947_happiness_laughter-is-a-sense-of-proportion-and-a_2036583.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f81/zero-mostel-54947_happiness_laughter-is-a-sense-of-proportion-and-a_2036583.jpg) > “Laughter is a sense of proportion and a power of seeing yourself from the outside.” [Zero Mostel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zero-mostel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Humor requires perspective and the ability to view oneself objectively, revealing truth through laughter. **In simple terms:** Seeing yourself from outside makes humor possible. Key Takeaway Cultivate self‑awareness and humor. Themes humor self‑awareness perspective Mood lighthearted reflective Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - public speaking - personal growth - conflict resolution - team building Key Concepts psychology philosophy Questions to Reflect On - How does self‑distance enhance humor? - When can humor become harmful? A Different Perspective Humor can mask deeper issues if not balanced. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joy/) [Laughing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laughing/) [Laughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laughter/) [Laughter Sense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laughter-sense-3300332/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Proportion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/proportion/) [Seeing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seeing/) [Seeing yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seeing-yourself/) [Sense Proportion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sense-proportion-603897/) ## Related quotes > [Some facts should be suppressed, or, at least, a just sense of proportion should be observed in treating them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/some-facts-should-be-suppressed-or-at-least-a-just-sense-of/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [“I sometimes think that the saving grace of America lies in the fact that the overwhelming majority of Americans are possessed of two great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-delano-roosevelt/i-sometimes-think-that-the-saving-grace-of-america-lies-in-the-fact/) [Franklin Delano Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-delano-roosevelt/) > [Commonsense is the realised sense of proportion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/commonsense-is-the-realised-sense-of-proportion/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“Sticklers unite, you have nothing to lose but your sense of proportion, and arguably you didn't have a lot of that to begin with.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynne-truss/sticklers-unite-you-have-nothing-to-lose-but-your-sense-of-proportion/) [Lynne Truss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynne-truss/) > [“Preserve a sense of proportion in your attitude to everything that pleases you, and make the most of them while they are at their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucius-annaeus-seneca/preserve-a-sense-of-proportion-in-your-attitude-to-everything-that/) [Lucius Annaeus Seneca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucius-annaeus-seneca/) > [He was born with a gift of laughter and a sense that the world was mad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-sabatini/he-was-born-with-a-gift-of-laughter-and-a-sense-that-the-world-was-mad/) [Rafael Sabatini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-sabatini/) > [“XVXVI, or 10-5-10-5-1, yielded H-E-H-E-A, which, unless she wanted to show her derisive laughter, made no sense.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-r-king/xvxvi-or-10-5-10-5-1-yielded-h-e-h-e-a-which-unless-she-wanted-to/) [Laurie R. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-r-king/) > [Happiness doesn't require laughter, only well-being and a sense that the world is breaking someone else's heart, not mine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ackerman/happiness-doesn-t-require-laughter-only-well-being-and-a-sense-that/) [Diane Ackerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ackerman/) > [“laughter and a sense of humor as a universal index of spiritual development.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama-xiv/laughter-and-a-sense-of-humor-as-a-universal-index-of-spiritual/) [Dalai Lama XIV](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama-xiv/) > [The fact is, the secret of happiness is the sense of proportion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-deland/the-fact-is-the-secret-of-happiness-is-the-sense-of-proportion/) [Margaret Deland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-deland/) > [“To reflect is to regain a little, lost sense of proportion”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/to-reflect-is-to-regain-a-little-lost-sense-of-proportion/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [Without a sense of proportion there can be neither good taste nor genuine intelligence, nor perhaps moral integrity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/without-a-sense-of-proportion-there-can-be-neither-good-taste-nor/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Gardening gives one back a sense of proportion about everything - except itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/may-sarton/gardening-gives-one-back-a-sense-of-proportion-about-everything/) [May Sarton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/may-sarton/) > [“. . . a sense of humor is a sense of proportion. It is also a sense of delight--delight in noting life has its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-sense-of-humor-is-a-sense-of-proportion-it-is-also-a-sense-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The more we enter our own gifts, the more we feel that sense of proportion. In that sense, I think our life lies in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-housden/the-more-we-enter-our-own-gifts-the-more-we-feel-that-sense-of/) [Roger Housden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-housden/) ## More by Zero Mostel > [I wanted to say something about the universe. There's God, angels, plants... and horseshit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zero-mostel/i-wanted-to-say-something-about-the-universe-there-s-god-angels/) [Zero Mostel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zero-mostel/) > [The heart is, truly, the source of love. The proof is that if you remove it from someone, they will almost certainly never love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zero-mostel/the-heart-is-truly-the-source-of-love-the-proof-is-that-if-you-remove/) [Zero Mostel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zero-mostel/) > [Romanian-Yiddish cooking has killed more Jews than Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zero-mostel/romanian-yiddish-cooking-has-killed-more-jews-than-hitler/) [Zero Mostel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zero-mostel/) > [When you've got it, flaunt it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zero-mostel/when-you-ve-got-it-flaunt-it/) [Zero Mostel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zero-mostel/) > [The freedom of any society varies proportionately with the volume of its laughter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zero-mostel/the-freedom-of-any-society-varies-proportionately-with-the-volume-of/) [Zero Mostel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zero-mostel/) [Explore all 6 Zero Mostel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zero-mostel/) ## More Comedy quotes > ['Mad TV' is one of my most favorite shows of all time and is a huge part of my obsession with sketch comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-dawson/mad-tv-is-one-of-my-most-favorite-shows-of-all-time-and-is-a-huge/) [Shane Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-dawson/) > [You can laugh at me, but I understand show business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ksenia-sobchak/you-can-laugh-at-me-but-i-understand-show-business/) [Ksenia Sobchak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ksenia-sobchak/) > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [I wouldn't want people to laugh at me. 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That's as powerful as stirring their sorrow, stirring their compassion, because that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/i-really-enjoy-making-people-laugh-i-ve-discovered-that-s-a-great/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) [Browse all 19,795 Comedy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Laughter is a sense of proportion and a power of seeing yourself from the outside.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Zero Mostel" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zero-mostel/laughter-is-a-sense-of-proportion-and-a-power-of-seeing-yourself-from/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Comedy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zero-mostel/laughter-is-a-sense-of-proportion-and-a-power-of-seeing-yourself-from/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f81/zero-mostel-54947_happiness_laughter-is-a-sense-of-proportion-and-a_2036583.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f81/zero-mostel-54947_happiness_laughter-is-a-sense-of-proportion-and-a_2036583.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f81/zero-mostel-54947_happiness_laughter-is-a-sense-of-proportion-and-a_2036583.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Laughter is a sense of proportion and a power of seeing yourself from the outside.” — Zero Mostel", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Zero Mostel", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zero-mostel/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Laughter is a sense of proportion...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zero-mostel/laughter-is-a-sense-of-proportion-and-a-power-of-seeing-yourself-from/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zero-mostel/laughter-is-a-sense-of-proportion-and-a-power-of-seeing-yourself-from/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```